Written by Peter Fitzmaurice
People that are into plants (in a big way) are so easy to shop for when it comes to gift giving. Whatever the occasion, when it comes to finding the perfect gift, there are so many options for the perfect gift for the plant enthusiast or “Plantie” as I affectionately call them.
Out of the literally hundreds of options for these folks I have come up with a “short list” of 5 that come to mind that you may not have already thought of:
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5. Moisture meters are a plant enthusiast’s best friend. As you may have experienced, one of the trickiest aspects of plant care, is ensuring that the plant does not get either too much or too little water.
Many plants do not respond well to being in a soil that is constantly wet. These conditions can easily cause root rot. Conversely, there are some plants, like ferns, that like to grow in consistently moist soils. This handy gadget is so easy to use and simply by pressing the probe into the soil near the plant’s stem, will tell you in an instant what the moisture content of the soil is. We thought they were so helpful that we decided to have our name put on one.
4. Plant enthusiasts will often lament the lack of light in their homes, especially in the middle of winter when the sun is not out for very long. On top of this, the quality of that light is especially reduced when the sun remains so low in the sky. Most plant people, especially here in Canada know the benefit of supplemental light. Going into the darkest time of the year, having some kind of broad spectrum light would certainly be welcomed. Also, if the plant person in your life, grows anything from seed, a Sunblaster light fitting that they can place over their seed trays would be the perfect choice. If your “Plantie” grows a lot of Tropical House plants, then possibly a clip on light fixture may be better option? Remember to get the full spectrum light bulb that goes in it!
3. The next items that I have selected is probably something you would never dream of getting for that gardener friend of yours. I am speaking about a Hori-Hori knife! It’s a Japanese word literally meaning Dig Dig!! This amazing tool is a gardener’s best friend. Whether you are dividing perennials, or repotting a plant, these handy tools cut easily through the root mass, making the job so much easier.
I like to use them to remove root bound plants from one container to the next, By slicing the outer couple of inches of solid roots off, you can easily back fill with fresh soil and encourage a new generation of roots to develop. Easy Peasy!
2. Vining houseplants have never been more popular than right now! Moss poles have been around for a very long time, but new to the market is the Bendable Moss Pole which adds a more natural look to a vining plant. Instead of seeing your indoor vines going straight up, these bendable poles can be formed into any shape that your heart desires.
As the plant grows you lead the plant around the pole using ties to keep them in place If the plant that is being grown, has aerial roots that seek a substrate to hold onto, they can embed themselves in the soft sphagnum moss padding as they climb. Useful and beautifully decorative!
1. Every plant person will have mister bottles to humidify around their plants, or possibly used to apply a pesticides. This Mossify mister is electronic and is therefor rechargeable. Using a USB cable, you just charge it up for 2-3 hours and you will get roughly 12 hours of continuous gentle misting spray or about 2 weeks of normal use. It has a power indicator light to show when your charge is getting low. Being so stylish, they will want to display their mister with their beautiful plants. (A gift that I certainly wouldn’t mind getting!!)
If you are still uncertain about a gift for these somewhat quirky folk, a GARDENWORKS Gift Card would be the perfect alternative! Let the “Plantie” choose for themselves whatever they like, from the plant store that has everything that they may need for their amazing passion: Plants!
